No. 18 "Okitsu: Okitsu River" from the series Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido
Fine Arts The Japanese Prints: Ancient and ModernItem Info
Source: Print and Picture Collection
Notes:
"In the early 1830's, Hiroshige's first landscape prints appeared. He subsequently became the leading landscape artist and was especially known for his series on the Tokaido highway that connected Edo (present day Tokyo) with Kyoto. The earliest and most famous of these, generally known by the name of the publisher as 'Hoeido ban Tokaido' (Tokaido published by Hoeido), was issued from 1832-33. Hiroshige III stated sixty years later that Hiroshige's designs are after sketches he took during a journey to Kyoto, however, most of his designs are undoubtedly inspired from illustrations in guide books like the Tokaido meisho zue ('Gathering of Views of Famouse Sightss alonf the Tokaido;' 1797) and even this alleged journey cannot be verified."
from "Japanese Woodblock Prints: Artists, Publishers and Masterworks 1680-1900", Andreas Marks. Tuttle Publishing. p.132
Notes:
"The area around Okitsu, which is about six miles from Yui, comprises the Coast of Tago and the Forest of Miho, both of which are celebrated scenic spots."
from "The Fifty-Three Stages of the Tokaido by Hiroshige", Tokyo, Japan. Heibonsha Ltd., Publishers, 1960. plate 18
https://catalog.freelibrary.org/Record/125651
Notes:
note card with print
Station 18
Okitsu: Okitsu River. Being borne across the river, by spindly-legged porters, are two huge, heavyweight sumo wrestlers. Hiroshige obviously found the spectacle ridiculous. In the background is the beach of Miho with its row of pine trees, called Miho no Matsubara ("The Groves of Miho"), which for centuries was a favored subject with poets and painters.
Bibliography:
https://catalog.freelibrary.org/Record/125651
https://catalog.freelibrary.org/Record/370941
https://catalog.freelibrary.org/Record/703108
https://catalog.freelibrary.org/Record/2030739
https://www.hiroshige.org.uk/Tokaido_Series/Tokaido_Great.htm
Creation Year: ca. 1833
Image Dimensions Width: 23 cm
Call Number: Woodblock Prints - The Fifty-three Stations of the T?kaid? Road
Creator Name: Hiroshige, Utagawa, 1797-1858 - Artist
Takenouchi Magohachi - Publisher